Radford praise for front rowers

Hull head coach Lee Radford hailed his front row after they laid the platform for his side's 30-6 First Utility Super League victory over Huddersfield at the KC Stadium.

The two teams suffered painful defeats in the Tetley's Challenge Cup last week but importantly Hull had more time to overcome their exit from the competition.

Huddersfield were dumped out in controversial circumstances against St Helens on Sunday and it showed as they failed to live with the Black and Whites in the opening exchanges.

Fetuli Talanoa, Richard Whiting, Jordan Rankin and Danny Houghton all crossed in the first 20 minutes as Hull responded to last Thursday's cup loss to Salford in stunning style.

Jodie Broughton reduced the deficit before half-time but second-half tries from Jacob Miller and Dean Hadley sealed a comfortable win.

Radford singled hooker Houghton and props Garreth Carvell and Mickey Paea out for special praise.

"I thought our two starting front-rowers were outstanding tonight and really laid a platform for us," said Radford.

"It was a really good time to get Huddersfield with them having such a short turnaround.

"The way Gaz and Micky started, no matter who we played tonight in the competition they would have given any middle a run for their money, they really were that good.

"Danny is obviously over the moon playing on the back end of those two."

The former Hull forward was, however, less than impressed with the way two incidents were officiated, the second of which saw Whiting and Danny Brough sin-binned.

"The (Scott) Grix one obviously their opponents next week will benefit from that because he is probably going to get a ban," added Radford. "What Gaz (Ellis) did for someone to unload on him like that, I don't know.

"It's just, I don't know, I don't know, I don't want to get in trouble for saying what I think."

Opposite number Paul Anderson admitted his Giants side were their own worst enemies and have "probably fallen in love with themselves" following last season's League Leaders' Shield success.

Thursday's loss in East Yorkshire was Huddersfield's fourth in a row in all competitions and they are in danger of dropping out of the top eight this weekend.

Anderson said: "We are probably not working as hard as we think we are as a collective, as a club. We have probably fallen in love with ourselves a bit.

"We have just got to get back to some fundamentals - winning the ruck, getting some good shoulder contact in and bending people backwards, because that is what Hull did today defensively.

"We know we're a good team. We just need to stay patient in what we do and get back to some fundamentals."

Huddersfield will look to get back on track against Salford and Wakefield over Easter, while Hull will aim to maintain their winning league run when they face bitter rivals Hull KR and London.